Watching From The Sidelines
by CriticalAngel
Summary: Life appears straight foreward, but there is only so much you can learn from the sidelines. DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters *cries* but all work is mine, and has previously be posted on the forums :D
1. First Thing On A Monday Morning

**This is my first Waterloo Road fanfic, and the first time i have published on here. Contains spoilers up to Series 4, Episode 6. Enjoy :)**

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**_Chapter One_**

It was 8:30 on a Monday morning, and already there was a steady stream of students flowing through the open gates, along with cars of staff members. Kids were meeting up after their weekend away, chatting loudly about what they had gotten up to, and generally acting as though they hadn't seen each other in weeks, not days.

By the school gates, Alysha and Danielle were standing by the railings, resting their heads on their arms, waiting for the P.E teacher to show up with Bolton after his early morning training run. They both held the firm belief that they were Rob Cleaver's true love, and spent many an hour chatting and plotting as to how to get him to notice them. And how to get their hands on his running shorts without Miss Kerreshie noticing them.

Rachel Mason got out of her car, smiling at the antics of the two girls, who were now craning to be the first to spot the PE teach, before walking over to her deputy, who was waiting for her with her sister at the bottom of the steps. It hurt her deeply to see them together. She knew that they were happy, knew that Eddie was happy, but she couldn't help but feel jeolous of Melissa. Her younger sister, so. . . perfect. Always getting what she wanted, who she wanted. She moved her emotions aside, trying to make it a careless guesture, all the while smiling at the loved up couple before her.

"Morning," she said, her bright voice giving away nothing about her inner thoughts, "Looking forward to this week?"

"Oi! Get your mitts of that car!" Eddie yelled at a loitering teen over by a red mini, who promtly scrowled at him before turning and walking away.

Melissa smiled at Rachel, "I take that as a no."

"What?" Eddie said, turning to them, "Sorry, wasn't paying attention."

A spueal from the distant gates alerted them to the approaching PE teacher.

"I don't know how Rob does it." Eddie said, stiffling a yawn, "he's in a god knows when, and manages a run afterwards, before school even starts!"

Melissa laughed. "You should try it some time. Might help shift some of that lard you got there." She playfully smacked Eddie across the stomach.

"Oh really. I'll get you for that one," he said grabbing her arms, and smiling down at her. Rachel rolled her eyes at the pairs antics, but inside she felt like she wanted to throw up. She wanted it to be her messing around in Eddie's arms, not her sister.

She turned her attention instead to the two figures walking towards, both happily talking with another, and messing around. She laughed as the taller of the blonde haired pair plucked something off of the smaller ones head, before holing it at arms lengh. The smaller one promtly tried to get it back, laughing herself as she did.

"Morning Matt, morning Sam!"

Matt smiled at her, dropping his guard and allowing Sam to grap her hair clip off him.

"Thank you very much."

Matt raised his arms defensively, "I was just saying that you should wear it differently."

"No need to grab the thing off my head."

"Made you notice though, didn't it?" he grinned cockily down at her.

Rachel smiled at the pair as Sam punched him in the arm. Whoever would have thought, when she first arrived at the school, that troubled Sambucca Kelly, the only female child in the 'family from hell', would have found comfort in this school, in her drama teacher to be exact. They got along well, anyone could see that, much to the anger of her older brother.

Matt went to stand by Rachel, looking over at Melissa and Eddie (who Rachel was trying desperately hard to ignore), who were now kissing each other lightly, ignoring the catcalls from passing students. He rolled his blue eyes at them, a movement which was mirrored exactly by Sam. Rachel was amazed that they managed it. They so often did things, like eye rolls and other small movements in sync - it was creepy. They must just think alike, she always concluded. It was bad enough that they looked alomost alike. Plenty of people who saw them walking to gether to school would have thought that they were brother and sister, both of whom were pupils here. Matt certainly looked young enough.

"I'll see you later!" Matt said, as Sam walked inside. She waved back to her foster career, before dissapearing throught the doors of the school.

"So, it's going well with you two then?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, it's going well," Matt replied, nodding his blonde head, and copying Rachel by not looking at the embracing couple. "She's a good kid."

"Her grades are picking up now."

"Well, she agreed to do her homework after I threatend to hide the television remote again."

Rachel tried to keep a straight face. "Again?"

"Well, I kind of....forgot where I put it last time. We spent the whole afternoon looking for it. Turned out to be in the cookie jar. Good place to hide it really. It was the last place we looked."

Rachel couldn't help herself, she burst out laughing, and Matt along with her.

"Missing something funny, are we?" Mellissa said from behind them. They looked at each other, making their faces go blank before turning to face her. She had managed to detach herself from Eddie, (_finally_, thought Rachel), and they were both looking at them with raised eyebrows. Rachel also noticed that Mellissa was looking at Matt strangely, as though she was eyeing him up. Or that she was going to eat him. Rachel again struggled not to laugh, Melissa didn't really know that Matt was gay. He hadn't been bothered to tell her, seeing no point in it, and it was old news with both the staff and students alike. Melissa was so used to getting what she wanted, it would be fun to see her rejected. _Just like I feel._

"Nothing. Come on, we'd better to get to the staff room. It's almost time for briefing."


	2. Hidden

**Short Chappy this time, just a quick insight....**

**Reviews Loved X**

He watched them walk inside the school. The loved up couple, the head teacher and......Matt. He sighed to himself, knowing that thinking about the young blonde would only make him feel worse. He tried to ignore the group of giggling girls waving at him as he ran past with the young boxing star-to-be.

"Alright, 20 shuttle runs, then stretch and get changed for first lesson." His young trainee nodded. _I bet he wouldn't want to me to train him if he knew._

"Morning!" said a bright cheery voice behind him. He turned, knowing exactly who he would see. Jasmine Kerreshie. The bright, cheerful, wonderful Jasmine Kerreshie. Who just wasn't for him.

"Good morning to you to." he plastered a smile onto his face as she came towards him. How long had he been fooling everyone now? Too long. Yet fooling himself hadn't worked. He'd thought it would be ok, until he saw him. Then he realised this was going to be a lot harder than he was used to.

Jasmine tilted her head to one side, and watched him. The movement made her seem somewhat motherly. He wished that he could be just a friend to her, like Matt and Steph were. He didn't want to hurt the girl, but he knew she wanted more, and he couldn't. Sure, he liked her, liked her a lot, but as a friend, nothing more. The thought of...touching her, kissing her, sleeping with her repulsed him. He couldn't help it. He didn't want to feel it, but he did.

"Are you ok?" she asked, concerned, reaching out with her hand to rest it on her arm. He forced himself not to shudder at her touch. He wanted to say no, to say that he couldn't so this any more, to tell her everything, but he didn't. He knew, from previous experiances what coming out to a high school would do. For starters, he would lose all hope of training Bolton.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

She smiled at him again, still not moving her hand from his arm. "Good. Um....hey, I was wondering if you would like to do something this evening? Go out for dinner, perhaps?"

"Um...no, sorry. Training."

Her face fell. He expected her to press on at him, but instead: "Oh, ok. Maybe another time."

"Hmm...maybe."

She smiled at him again, before turning away and walking to school. He sighed in relief. That had been close. He had sworn to himself not to tell anyone at this school, not to repeat the mistake he made last time. He had thought that it would be easy.

That was, until he had saw _him_. That was when he realised that it was going to be difficult. Very difficult. He knew he was in denial, knew that he tried to convince himself that he did not watch his movements out of the corner of his, that he did not think about the blonde angel every day. He tried to convince himself that he was straight, that he was attracted to Jasmine - the woman who he just wanted for a friend.

And Rob Cleaver sighed loudly as he followed Jasmine up to the school doors. Fooling himself. It didn't work.

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	3. Missunderstood

_Thanks to all of my lovely reviewers! Another Ramble Chapter, I'm afraid, but all working up to something :) (I hope)_

**Chapter Three:**

Steph pulled up outside the school just as the bell rang. Briefing was over and done with, or at least, almost, and she never had a class first thing on a Monday morning. Rachel Mason had realised that was a bad thing to do after only a week of being head.

Maxine opened the passenger door, and climbed out, calling back to her "S'later!", before running over to her boyfriend. Steph watched them warily. Of all the boys in this school, why did she have to choose _Earl Kelly_?

She didn't trust that boy, he was bad news. Making her way into the building towards her room, trying to push her way through the crowds of students deliberately moving slowly to their homerooms. Everyone had their place in this school, and Steph was proud to know hers, and Kelly's. He was a trouble maker, no worse. An evil, murderous, psycopath. But what could she do? She prided herself on knowing everything that went on in this school - that was here place. She knew all the goss, all the events, who was dating who.....everything. Or, mostly everything. The news about Ms Mason had been a shock to her, so it must have been a shock for everyone else. She hadn't known that.

But most things she did know. She didn't tell everything, no matter what people say about her. Steph Haydock only passed on juicy gossip which she knows won't cause much harm. It's her place in the school. Everyone had one.

She considered this as she dumped her stuff in her room. It was true. There was Rachel Mason - the witty, charming headteacher. The one who was liked by the kids for doing her job, for turning the school around. The one who was still respected even after her secret had come out. The one who found it painful to watch Eddie and Melissa together, not sickening (like everyone else), painful. Steph could see it in her eyes, see the hurt that she buried deep down within herself, which no one else could see.

Then there was Eddie. The fist to Rachel's calm words. The strong, sturdy backup. Loyal, fierce, the one who did what he thought was best. The enforcer. Dating Melissa. Steph wasn't sure about Melissa. There was something wrong with the girl, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

The other teacher's all had their places in the school too, Steph mused as she pushed open the staffroom door. Tom Clarkson, over in the corner - easy going, friendly, easy for students to confide in. Standing, laughing with Davina - pretty, the icon, the image of perfect teaching. It didn't matter that she wasn't a teacher yet, Steph knew she would be. She acted like she had a grudge against Davina, for that fling with Jack, but she didn't. She quite liked her really, and she was more happy with Tom than she had been with Jack. Grantly Bugen - the terror of teaching. At this moment, sat in one of the chairs in the center of the staffroom, feet up, reading the results of last nights races. Almost falling asleep. Again.

Sat next to him was Jasmine - the young, calm, English teacher. Awkward around men, but loosening up around Rob Cleaver (leaning over her shoulder). Who in contrast held himself taught. Steph wasn't too sure about Rob, either. He tensed as Jasmine brushed her hand against his arm, hiping for a reaction. _Dream on girl_. It was never going to happen.

Steph went and sat in her customary seat, oppossite Grantly, next to Matt, who was looking at her in shock. She turned to him.

"What? Have I got something on my face?" She reached up, self consciously to touch her cheek. _Please don't say my make-up has run_.

"You're in...." Matt said, still shocked. Jasmine and Rob were now watching them, and were trying to keep straight faces as Steph grew flustered.

"I'm in? What on earth are you talking about? Why are you looking at me like that? Matt!"

"You're in school. It's not nine 'o' clock yet. Are you feeling ill?"

Steph frose, then hit Matt on the arm. He burst into laughter, along with Rob and Jasmine.

"You idiot! I thought there was something wrong!"

Matt continued to laugh as he handed Steph a mug of tea he had prepared for her earlier. "How can you take so long in getting to school? You passed me and Sam in your car ages ago, yet you still got here late."

"Early for me, I'll have you know! And I forgot my bag, so I had to go back for it."

Matt's laughter had finally run out, and he reached for his cup of tea again, which he had carefully put to the side before saying anything to Steph. Jasmine and Rob were still laughing though.

"Your face, Steph. You really thought something was wrong!"

Steph wanted to feel angry, but couldn't. No one could stay angry with Matt around, not even Matt himself was very good at it. The arguement over the incident with the boy who had HIV didn't even last to the end of school. Well, not between her and Matt at any rate. But that was Matt. He was the joker, the prankster, the one who makes people laugh, but also the calmer. Things didn't heat up much with Matt around, one of the reasons he was a good person to have on break duty.

Steph watched the blonde man beside her as she drank her tea. She though man, but it could have been boy. The only way to tell Matt from the students in his class during a pratical lesson, was by the fact that he didn't wear the uniform. She dreaded the thought of a non-school uniform day - she wouldn't be able to spot him in the corridors at all. He was also liked by the students, but not for his teaching really. Sure, his lessons were fun, but it was mostly the fact that he _acted_ like a student. He was carefree, or so he made out, and they liked him for it. He encouraged them to think for themselves, to do what they wanted. A group of his year eights had dug out a couple of old guitars from his cupboard, and they had kept on at him until he had let them use them. He was showing them how to put together a band, how to compose their own songs, and how to sing them. Though the amps were hidden in Steph's room. Even Matt wasn't _that_ mad.

Apart from that, though, Matt was a hard person to understand. He confided in Steph. They were friends, and she was the one that knew everything, but only when he wanted to. You couldn't force Matt into admitting anything, and he always clammed up when asked about his past. Understandable really, if Rachel's past was anything to go by. Steph would bet all her pub money for a month that worse secrets than that were being held.

Her eyes flickered for a moment to Rob, who she noted with suprised was also looking in Matt's direction. It was only for a second, but Steph saw it.

"Quiet everyone!" Rachel Mason walked into the staffroom, flanked by Eddie. Steph made out that he wasn't fond of Rachel, butn in reality she thought she had done a brilliant job with the school.

The noise and chatter died down. "Oh here, we go." muttered Steph, but loud enough for everyone to hear, and to wake Grantly from his doze. Matt elbowed her, raising a finger to his lips.

"Thank you, Steph." Eddie said, glaring daggers at her. Steph thought she might be imagining it, but it looked like Eddie's eyes had flickered in Rachel's direction more than once since they had entered the room. She smiled to herself, Eddie wasn't the best at hiding his secret, she had seen so much better.

"Everyone, I have an announcement to make." Rachel continued, just as Melissa slipped though the door, catching Steph's eye. There was just something about her....

Steph Haydock had always prided herself on knowing everything, everyone, and everyone's business, but now she wasn't so sure. There was so much more that she had to learn. And she knew it. She learned by listening, not by telling, in contrast to what people said. _That's me_, thought Steph as she settled back to listen to Rachel's annuouncement. _Misunderstood_.


	4. Simple as Drinking Tea

"Everyone, I have an announcement to make,"

Rachel stood before her staff, unsure of how to tell them what she had to. Her uncertainity was clear upon her face, something Tom, standing in the far corner of the room, picked up on.

"Rachel? What's wrong?"

She looked at him, their eyes meeting from accross the room.

"Nothing is wrong, not really." She broke the eye contact, and looked around at everyone else. they were all watching her now, even, Tom noted with suprise, Grantly. "It's just the Ofsted Inspections that were meant to be coming next week."

"What about them?" asked Jasmine in her soft, scottish accent. "They're still a week away."

"Yes, we still have plenty of time to get ready for them. Not that some of us need it," said Grantly, in a loud mumble.

"So I don't see what you're worrying about, Rachel," said Steph, putting her now empty mug down on the coffee table in front of her, and swinging her feet up so they rested in Matt's lap.

"What I'm _concerned_ about, is that fact that they aren't coming next week. They are coming tomorrow."

Silence met her words. That is, until Matt realised that he had just breathed in a mouthful of his tea instead of swallowing it.

"It's not that bad," said Davina, walking forward and thumping a spluttering Matt on the back, "We'll just show them how good a school we are."

"Oh really?" questioned Grantly, raising an eyebrow. "And how, exactly, are we meant to show ourselves to be, as you put it, good, with the likes of Earl Kelly in our school?"

"Or any of the other students for that matter." said Tom, "Earl kelly may be the worst, but there are several others who would want to mess this up anyway."

"I have to agree with you, Grantly, and you Tom. But I don't see what we can do about it." Rachel said, sitting on the arm of Jasmine's chair.

"Well, wouldn't you face that problem even if they did come next week?" enquired Melissa, from her position next to Eddie. Tom wondered how she had got there, he hadn't noticed her walk in.

"Yes, but normally we would manage to...get rid of the more troublesome ones for the actual day." Said Grantly in his normal bored voice, reaching again for his newspaper.

"And we don't have enough notice to do anything like that this time." said Rachel, to herself more than to anyone else.

More silence met her remark. This time, Matt's tea flying across the table as he chocked, didn't break it. Tom couldn't believe it. _Rachel Mason_ had considered deliberatelly sending students away from the school for the day. He exchanged a look with Steph, who was patting Matt on the back as he gasped for breath. _This must be serious_.

"So I guess the only thing we can do is not to tell them." said Eddie. He didn't look like he agreed with the idea, but Tom realised that he knew it was the only thing they could do. That was the thing with Eddie, he thought, he does what he thinks is best.

"There's another thing. Matt, I would put the cup down if I were you." said Rachel. Matt, who had just made to take another gulp of his tea, sighed, and rested his nearly empty mug on the table.

"These inspectors, they have brought the date foreward because of the......media coverage we have recieved recently." she meant, of course, the article about the gun in the school, and who knows what else. "In their opinion, the school is hanging by a thread. One thing wrong, and we're finished."

"You're not serious." Rob said.

Rachel looked at him, his face showing the same signs of shock as everyone else. "Yes, I am serious. One slip up, one swearword at a class, one word in french pronounce incorrectly" here she looked at Steph, "one case of _someone falling asleep in the lesson_" she aimed at Grantly, who had been dozing off again. He made a start, and had the decency to be embarressed.

The teachers all looked at each other as Rachel continued. "We just have to try our best. Don't tell the students what is going on, any lip or messing around, straight to the cooler. Earl Kelly and any other troublemakers you send to me. Just...give it your best shot."

With that she left the staffroom. Eddie shrugged, and followed her. The room was silent for a minute after they left, until Steph spoke up. "We're screwed."

"Oh, come now. It's not going to be that bad." said Melissa, going and perching on the arm of Matt's chair.

"Great. Just great." Tom said. Davina slipped her arm through his, and he smiled at her lovingly. He loved her, he really did. if they all got the sack. . .would they still be together?

"What classes has everyone got tomorrow?" he asked, looking around.

"Almost all year groups, except year 7 and Year 10. Everyone has something like that, except Matt." Jasmine said.

"Hmm?" Matt looked up when she said his name, in the action of taking another sip of his now lukewarm tea.

"What do you have tomorrow?" Steph asked him, still with her feet resting in his lap.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I have year 11s and 12s all day today and tomorrow. Finishing drama and music coursework."

"The same class all day? Won't they miss any of our lessons?" Rob asked.

"I talked to you all about it ages ago." Matt said, "You were going to leave them work to do."

"Matt!" Eddie had walked into the room while they were talking, "Those students are going to miss important lessons."

Matt shrugged, holding his hands in front of him, "Wasn't my idea. Was the kids - they wanted more time to work on their final projects. I cleared it all up with Rachel, and I _thought_ I had cleared it with you guys as well!"

Tom closed his eyes, "I remember now. Sorry, mate. At least thats, what, twenty students we don't have to worry about? Right?"

Matt didn't reply, he seemed intent on finishing his tea.

"Well, come one. We'd better get ready." said Steph, swinging her legs off Matt's lap, standing up, and pulling him up with her. "See you later."

"But, my tea! I haven't -" Matt wailed as Steph dragged him off, causing everyone else to burst into laughter.

Rachel came back in while they were laughing.

"Come on, people! Lets get a move on."

Everyone sobered up, or most of them. Davina and Jasmine were still gasping for breath.

"What's so funny?" Rachel asked, looking around at them all. Honestly, sometimes she found it was easier to stay in her office, to get away from all this madness.

"Nothing. Come one. Lessons." Tom said.

"What joy." Grantly grumbled.

"Come on, if today goes well, tomorrow will be as simple as drinking a cup of tea." Rachel said confidently, and prompty ducked to avoid the cushions that were suddenly flying in her direction.

"DON'T SAY THAT!"


	5. Watching and Listening

**New Chapter :) Thanks so much to all of my reviewers! I treasure them!**

**I think that a plot may be developing now :P**

Rachel sighed as she made her way out of the staff room. Great. Not only would she have to deal with Eddie and Melissa, who she was unable to avoid thanks to this _stupid_ meeting she had to go to, she also had to make the school fit to pass a final inspection, in not a week, as she had expected, but a day. And that wasn't the worst part.

She knew that making the school ready in time would be hopeless, she knew something the others didn't, but she couldn't tell the others. Then they wouldn't even have a reason to come in tomorrow. She could imagine Steph's face now.

"Hey."

Oh. That voice. That soft, calming voice, which was hardly ever raised when she heard it. _His _voice.

She turned to face Eddie as she reached the top of the stairs. The rest of the staff were leaving the staff room behind her, and they moved to the side to let Rob past. The corridors were empty now, all the students were in their lessons and the teachers dragging themselves along as well.

"What's wrong?"

Rachel forced herself to laugh as she answered Eddie. "Wrong? Nothing's wrong. Why would you think that anything was wrong?"

Eddie in turn raised an eyebrow. "Maybe because you're repeating yourself, and you only do that when something _is _wrong."

Rachel sighed, and began to make her way down the stairs. She wouldn't argue with Eddie. Not only was he right, but she couldn't bring herself to. She didn't want to see his beautiful face all crinkled, as it got when he grew angry.

"So what was all that about with the cushions? All I said was that drinking a cup of tea was simple."

Eddie chuckled, "Yes, to a group of people who had just watched Matt almost kill himself twice attempting it, and then being dragged away by a certain French teacher before he could finish."

"Ah." Rachel forced a smile onto her face, but she was unable to keep it there long, something that Eddie noticed.

"So I'm right." Eddie said, keeping a few paces behind her, "Something is wrong."

His hand reached out and caught her arm, and she felt her heart beat faster. He gently turned her so that she faced him. "Tell me."

She raised her head, and looked into his eyes. His eyes, that she so often dreamt about, which were looking down at her in concern.

"It's about the inspection…" she began.

"And you didn't tell us all of it." Eddie concluded. She looked at him in shock, thinking that he had heard that phone call, read that email. Then she relaxed. He had just guessed, like Eddie did.

"No, I didn't." Rachel sighed, "There's nothing we can do which will affect the result of it, Eddie."

Eddie's forehead crinkled in confusions. "Sure there is. We'll tidy the place up, and it'll all be fine. Some of the year 11s and sixth formers are with Matt for tomorrow anyway, and he can deal with them."

"No, we can't. The decision has already been made, tomorrow's just the formal view of the school before it's announced. The school's closing down."

"No way. We can -" Eddie began, but he was cut off.

Rachel was growing more agitated the more she talked about it. "No, I've tried. I got the news last thing yesterday, and have been trying to change their minds ever since." She looked up at him. "We can only watch."

Rachel noticed that Eddie still had his hand on her arm. She liked how it felt there, warm, and comforting. She savoured the moment, knowing that only too soon….

"Rachel! Eddie! There you are." Melissa stood at the top of the stairs. As soon as he heard her voice, Eddie removed his hand and turned to face her. Rachel sighed to herself.

Of course she had no chance with Eddie. He was her sisters, her younger, sexier sister. And her younger, sexier sister didn't release her claws of anyone that easily.

"Come one," she said, "We've got to get to this meeting."

The three of them walked away, down on of the many corridors of the school, to one of the empty classrooms which had been moderated to be a board room of sorts. None of them saw the two figures lean around a corner close to where they had been standing.

Michaela White hadn't expected to hear anything interesting when Mr Wilding pulled her out of his classroom (not literally - she would have had him done if he had). She only expected the usual - "Rude behaviour", "dissapointment" and "not to be expected at her age." Instead, both of them had heard everything that had just been said between the head and the deputy.

She looked at the teacher who stood beside her, who had been, she noted, as eager to listen as she had been. He had a hard look in his eyes, which confirmed what they had heard. It really was going to be the end of the school.

Anyone would have thought that she would have been happy to hear it. But Michaela wasn't. She quite liked this school, liked the relaxed atmosphere, the people, even, and here she sneaked a glance at the blonde man who was meant to be telling her off, some of the teachers. She didn't want it to close.

"Come on. I think we had better get back. And not tell anyone."

"What?" Michaela raised her eyebrows, "not even the others in there?" she jabbed her hand in the direction of Matt's room. "We might be able to do something."

Matt froze, and looked at her. "You know what, Michaela? We just might."

* * *


	6. Terror

**Chapter 6! Thank you again to all of my reviewers :) Loved and adored :)**

* * *

He sat in his classroom, leaning back in his chair and casting his well practised gaze over the rows of students scribbling away at their pieces of paper. They were silent, with bowed heads, all of them looking innocent, as though they were thoroughly concentrating on their work.

He wasn't fooled though. Amongst them there would be at least one writing notes to his neighbour, or her neighbour. One would be slyly text-y-ing, or whatever it was, to another, and the another would be replying. But they looked like they were doing the work, which was the main thing. Which would be what counted tomorrow.

He thought back to what Rachel had said. The _wonderful _Rachel Mason. It quite baffled him how a shameful past like hers could have been accepted within the terrors that roamed this school. Maybe it was that they believed that she really was changing, and was changing the school. He didn't trust her though, but that was to be expected. He didn't trust anyone, beside Fleur.

Only she knew of his darkest secret, one which was only shown when he _occasionally _dozed off through the classes he had. One which he hated himself for having, one which made him feel weak. Although it was to be expected, he mused. Surely everyone must feel the same.

Someone knocked upon his classroom door. He hated it when people did that.

"What?" He asked, harshly, as he always did.

It was opened by Tom's girl, the one who was still at school. He had seen many students come and go between these walls, and could hardly remember any of their names, but he remembered hers. Chlo.

"Sorry, sir, but Mr Wilding was wondering whether we could use the laptops."

"They are in the cuboard," he said, pointing impatiently towards to back of the classroom. Now that he noticed, there was another girl with her, Steph's girl. Maxine. "And may I enquire as to what Mr Wilding needs them for."

"For our work, sir." said Maxine. She was looking at him, but there was something about the way she was looking at him which made him want to question her. Want to, but not act on. He couldn't be bothered.

He nodded his head, and the two girls made their way to the door at the back of the room. His class still watched them, all of them so young.

A deep pining urge rose inside him. He wanted to be like that. To be young again. That was his secret, the one which he tried to convince himself everyone else felt as well. He was scared. Of time. Of death.

He had died once. In a car accident more than two decades ago. It had only been for about 5 minutes, before the paramedics had brought him back, but it had been enough. He was terrified of it. He hated sleep, hated the precious moments it swallowed of his limited life. He had lost count of how many different ways he had tried to counter it, until Fleur had put her foot down. Mostly this was why he fell asleep in class. He tied so hard to stay awake at night, that he couldn't manage the days.

No one knew this, he pondered as the two girls made their way out of his classroom, pushing the laptop trolley before them. Not the best idea in a school like this.

The class was errupting into chatter again. He hated that.

"Shut up you lot!" he roared, standing up and slamming his hands palm down on the desk. They shut up.

The terror of teaching, they called him. Grantly snorted. More like terrified of teaching.

The thought only occurred to him as he sat back down again. _What would they need laptops for in a music class?_


	7. Unloved

**Chapter 7**

* * *

It was break time at Waterloo Road, and almost all of the teachers had returned to their favourite haunting ground. The staff room.

Jasmine was sat on one of the chairs in the middle of the room, opposite Steph (who was cradling a cup of coffee beneath her chin, closing her eyes and breathing in the sweet aroma) and next to Davina, who was curled up in her chair, reading a magazine Tom had confiscated off of one of the Year Nines and playing with her hair.

She couldn't stop thinking about him. It scared her, the way she felt, having never felt this way before, about anyone. She wasn't sure how she should act on it, what she should do. Sure, she asked him out on dinner dates, and they had drinks together at the pub after work, but he always said no.

"So." said Steph, still with her eyes closed over her coffee. "Has he replied yet?"

Jasmine literally jumped out of her skin, or felt like it. "I, er, don't know what you mean."

Steph opened her eyes, and looked at her critically. Davina also looked up, just as Grantly walked in and slouched down in the chair next to Steph.

"Well, you have asked him, haven't you?"

"Asked who?" Jasmine asked, trying to keep the panic out of her voice. She really didn't want Steph to know how she felt, that would mean that everyone else would know.

"Rob, of course." Steph grinned as Jasmine blushed beetroot red, "See, I knew you had!"

Jasmine didn't respond. She didn't want to tell that she had been rejected. Again. Every time he looked at her she felt like she would die from her heart beating so fast, and every time he said no, she felt like she would die from her heart breaking. Thankfully, she was saved from having to reply to Steph's comment by the sudden entry of Matt, who was later than he normally was.

"Hey, budge up Steph!" Steph sighed, but squidged up against the arm of her chair, just allowing Matt enough room to squeeze himself in beside her.

"Oof! Do you mind?" she asked him, swatting at him with her hands. He just stuck his tongue out at her.

Jasmine laughed at him, and he winked back at her. She was pally with Rob like she was with Matt, but with Rob she wanted so much more. No, she didn't want it. She needed it.

That was right, she thought, as the room lapsed back into silence. She needed him like she needed air. That was what it felt like. And then there was the thought that had been making her blood freeze every time she thought it. If the school closes, will we ever see each other again?

She couldn't allow herself to dwell on matters like that. Wouldn't allow herself to. To kept telling herself that as she raised her mug to her lips. Man, she should have so been an actress.

"Oh, by the way, has anyone seen Rachel? Or Eddie?" Matt was looking around the silent staff room, as if he had just thought of the question.

Steph was watching him with raised eyebrows. "No, not yet. Why?"

Matt sank back into his seat (or his half of his seat, and as much as he could with Steph in the way). "Just wanted to ask him something about tomorrow."

"Ask who what about tomorrow?" Eddie had just entered the room. Jasmine smiled at him as he stood, towering about all of them in their seated positions (apart from Tom, who was pressing his head against one of the metal shelves in the corner. "Headache," murmured Davina, following her gaze).

"Oh, hi Eddie." Matt said, struggling to get out of the chair he had sunken into. Eddie also raised his eyebrows at him, and Jasmine could see that he was struggling not to laugh at the young drama teachers plight. "I wanted to ask you something, actually. Or Rachel, wherever she is."

"Go on then, spill."

Matt finally managed to stand up, and nearly fell over the coffee table. Steph burst into laughter, until Matt stole her coffee ("Hey! Give that back!")

"Just, wondering, are you getting any students to show the inspectors around tomorrow?"

"Not that I was aware of. Why?"

"Sorry if I'm mistaken," came the drawling tones of Grantly from behind the Racing Post, "but you want some of this lot to advertising our school to the closing party?"

"Er….yes, to put it bluntly. Just thought it might help to show the part that the kids play in this school, showing them taking on responsibilities and being interested in the plight of the school." Matt said, sounding, to Jasmine, as though he had been rehearsing exactly what to say.

Eddie looked at the eager faced man before him, quite blankly. If he was honest with himself, he hadn't thought of how to show the role the kids played, he had been to busy comforting Rachel, and, well, spending time with Melissa. But now that the idea was brought to his attention, he could see that it made sense.

"Oh right? And which pupils did you have in mind?"

"I thought two of the older students, who know their way around but aren't too busy with school work. Who like the school and what it's done for them. I though….maybe, Janeece and Paul would be good."

Eddie nodded his head. The idea did make sense, and Janeece and Paul would be good students for the job. Janeece, able to talk her way out of most things could make even the worse thing sound good, and Paul, normally quiet, but sensible enough to keep Janeece under control. They were good suggestions.

"Well, I'll talk to Rachel about it." Although, he knew that she would agree. She'd probably be annoyed that she hadn't thought about it herself, knowing her.

Matt was grinning as Eddie strolled out of the room, not noticing Steph's attempts to grab back her coffee. Jasmine watched him, eagle eyed. _If I didn't know any better_, she thought as Steph managed to grab her coffee back accompanied by the sarcastic cheers and applause coming from the other members of staff,_ I would think that Matt was up to something._


	8. Only Chance

**Chapter Eight**

Some people said she was stupid. They was wrong.

She had a good sense of what was right and what was wrong. She knew when something said or done was good, or when something was bad. It was just…hard to let others know. To let others know without hurting people.

She never used to worry about other people. She was the one who felt, other people felt different things. Other people were scary. She never used to like them. She didn't like the way their faces changed shape and she couldn't tell what it meant, she didn't like the way they would say things and then not mean it.

2, 4, 8, 16...

That had all changed when she came here. This school was nicer than the others she had been too, and there had been a lot. Ms Mason was nice. She never shouted, was never cross, and made happy faces, which she understood. She did lie though. She told a very big lie, which made her feel sick for a bit, until Miss Shackleton had talked to her. As it hadn't had anything to do with her, and as Ms Mason hadn't said it directly, it wasn't so bad. Once that had been understood, she was fine.

She also liked some people her own age as well. They were different from her though, she knew that, and some were mean. Aleesha and Danielle had been mean to her. They had said things that they didn't mean, they had made her feel confused and scared and sick. Now they were her friends, and they sat with her in one of the corners of Mr Wilding's music room, helping her to make maps of the school.

…32, 64, 128.…

What they were doing now, she wasn't sure about though. Mr Wilding had explained it to them all, and Michaela had agreed with him, as had all of the others. Michaela never looked serious when she was joking, it was one of the faces Miss Shackleton had taught her.

Mr Wilding had been very kind. She wasn't sure whether this was right or wrong at first, and it scared her. When the others had set about doing what they had, very eagerly and quickly, he had come over to her. He had said that if she wanted, she didn't have to do this, that she could play the piano like he had been teaching her and he would help. But when she looked around at the faces of all the others in the room, she knew it was right. As Michaela had said, it was their only chance.

So here she was, doing something that she did best. Drawing a scale model with her friends, with all the right sized squares for the rooms and rectangles for the corridors, and making sure they had all the right information and numbers in. She liked numbers, they made sense. She didn't like the change of schedule though, it worried her, so she was doubling numbers in her head to make her feel calm. It worked.

…256, 512, 1024, 2048...

When Chlo and Maxine had brought the laptops in earlier, she had helped Donte and Bolton set up the programs for sound and video recording, and activated the Bluetooth. She liked computers as well, and everyone was doing what they were good at. Things ran smoothly, and she could see it was best that way. She had also helped to judge the texting contest they had held just before break, as she wouldn't lie about who it had been. She had seen easily that it was Paul.

She also knew that they might get into trouble for this. If they did, it wouldn't be bad, and most people were glad of that. But she could also see that they were worried, like her, but not for themselves. Even if they were caught but managed to pull this off, Mr Wilding would be told to go. He was putting his job on the line for them, which made them work harder to make it work. As Mr Wilding had said: "If the I'm going to lose my job anyway, I might as well go down with a fight."

…4096, 8192...

No, Karla wasn't stupid. She knew a lot of things that other people didn't know, but they all knew that doing this was the only chance they had.

* * *


	9. Guilt

The Lunch bell rang, loudly, echoing across the school, down the empty corridors. It filled every corner, reaching everyone, students and teachers alike. It cued madness.

Eddie sighed, rubbing his temples with two fingers, leaning over his desk. He had just had a rowdy class of Year 9s to deal with…no, sorry, to teach, which hadn't helped his already throbbing head.

It wasn't as if it was a bad school. Well, not really. He didn't understand what Rachel had told him. Why would they want to close it? It had been turned around, hell, they weren't even last in the School Legue tables any more. It had hurt, when she had told him. Not just because of what it was, but because of who had said it.

He guessed he still felt guilty, that was all, he thought as he stood up, seeking to find peace in the Staff room. Not that there would be any there of course, but hopefully he would be able to sit back while Steph moaned about the Year 8s not doing their homework, or something. He had been feeling guilty ever since she had returned, really. He felt guilty, because he loved her

He made his way though the throng of students, which was heading in two directions at once - to the canteen and to the field. It was true. He didn't deny it. He loved her, loved her more than anyone else. Yet he wasn't sure how she felt about him. He felt as though she was hiding something from him, something big. That made him feel guilty too.

That was Eddie's weakness. He felt guilty for everything. He felt guilty for Rachel's scar, and for Melissa's early struggles with her grown up classes. He felt guilty about how the school was going to fall, he felt guilty about Earl bullying Philip. He felt guilty about being in love with the wrong sister.

Philip. Try as he might, he couldn't connect with the boy. Sure, he liked him, and hoped that Philip liked him back, but they weren't what a watcher would call close. Not like Steph and Maxine, not like Matt and Sam. He kept feeling like Philip was holding something back. Like he was keeping something from him which he wanted to tell. But which he couldn't.

He sighed again, louder this time. Loud enough to attract the attention of a group of students making their way down the corridor, stopping at notice boards for some reason.

"You alright, sir?" It was Donte Charles, leading the group of four others.

"I'm fine." Eddie replyed, eyeing them all curiously. They were up to something. "What are you lot doing wandering the corridors?"

"Nothing, sir." Chlo said, from where she stood behind Donte, and between Maxine and Janeece.

Eddie tilted his head to one side. There was something too innocent about their facial expressions.

"Well…ok then. Get on with you. Oh, by the way Janeece, and you too Paul, me and Ms Mason want a word with you later. 1 'o' clock, head teachers office, ok?"

"Sure, sir!" Janeece said smiling. Maxine elbowed her slyly, and Paul on just rolled his eyes. The movements were small, but Eddie noticed them. It looked like they had known about that.

He watched them over his shoulder as the walked past him. Something was not right. He continued to watch as they stopped by a notice bored next to a set of doors, and as Chlo turned quickly around to face him.

"Oh, almost forgot sir. Miss Ryan was looking for you."

Eddie nodded. "Thank you." He turned around, but out of the corner of his eye saw a flicker of movement from the back of the group. It had looked, to him, as though Donte had just reached up and pressed something into the corner between the wall and the doors.

He shook his head. His eyes were playing tricks on him. Either that or his throbbing head was confusing things he did see. Now, he had to find Melissa. Maybe he would find out why she was acting so odd at the moment.

Maybe he would stop feeling guilty. Maybe…but not likely.

He drifted back into his thoughts again. He had seen the hurt in her eyes. Maybe that was the image that haunted him, or maybe it was the feeling of loss he had felt when he had thought that she was gone. Either way, that was what stirred the guilt.

He knew it was wrong, but he felt that he should be with her, not the other sister. He felt he had to be there for her. Hell, he had given her a chance hadn't he? It wasn't his fault she had missed it, was it? No, that was certain. His thoughts cleared as he realised that one fact, and he raised his head as he pushed open the Staff room door.

He loved her. He loved Melissa with all his heart. Rachel would just have to find her own way.


	10. A Little bit of Laughter

It really had been a long day. Davina yawned as she made her way to the staff room, carefully avoiding the throngs of students rushing to get out of the school. First the problems with the Year Nines, then having to cover one of Steph's classes as she had to go to a meeting with some fund raising people, or something like that. At least, that was what she had said, but knowing Steph, she had most likely gone to the pub.

She had had no trouble with Karla though today, for the first time in what felt like ages. maybe it was because she wasn't in any of Grantley's classes today. Or tomorrow, which would be good for the stupid inspection.

She had dropped in to Matt's class earlier anyway, just to check Karla was coping with the dramatic change of schedule. They had all been busy, doing what she wasn't sure, but she had talked with Matt at the door, and he said she was fine. One less thing to worry about then, anyway.

Pushing open the staff room door, she was surprised to see most of the staff already there. She went right over to Tom, knowing that he would have some tea for her, all ready. Her heart leapt as she neared him. She had never, ever loved anyone as much as she loved him, not even Jack. With him she felt different. Special. No one had ever made her feel that way before.

"You ok?" she asked as she sat down beside her. His face was still creased up in pain, as it had that morning, and she felt worried for him. She felt his pain.

"Just a headache. I just want this over with."

"You're not the only one." she said, leaning back into him, as Steph walked in with a clatter, and sat down opposite them.

"Oi, lovebirds! You will, never, ever guess what I just saw!"

"Say one word, Stephanie, and your life will not be worth living." cried out a frantic looking Grantley, who almost ran into the room, followed by a silently laughing Matt.

"What?" Tom asked, stroking Davina's hair. She closed her eyes at the touch, feeling warm and comfortable.

"Don't you dare!"

"Well," began Steph, completely ignoring Grantley's pleads, and leaning forward with the same look on her face that she got every time she was about to spread some good gossip. "I just saw our Mr Grumpy Claus -"

"Grumpy Claus?!?"

"Matt will explain."

"I will?"

"Shut up, and stop laughing! Anyway, I just saw our Mr Grumpy Claus being very…friendly to a certain lady!"

Davina leant forward, taking a drink from her mug. "Ooh! Who?"

"Sorry," said Rob, who was standing beside Matt, looking confused. "You lost me at Grumpy Claus."

Matt turned to him, still laughing. "Grantley said he was going to dress up as Santa last year when he was drunk at the pub."

"Oh. Gotcha. Wait…what?"

"Mr Grumpy Claus was being very friendly towards a lady we all know!" Steph repeated. "And there is no use in hiding, Grantley, everyone knows your secret identity now."

The room erupted into laughter, as Grantley's head rose from behind the chair he had been trying to hide behind.

"I'm going to kill you, Stephanie."

"What? And let them find out about your lady friend?"

"I don't bloody have a lady friend!"

"Sure, not yet, but when you tell Rachel how you….oops!"

"Rachel!" spluttered Davina, feeling Tom shake with silent laughter. At least he managed to keep it quiet, she thought, unlike Rob and Matt, who were at that moment leaning against each other to keep themselves upright they were laughing so hard.

"Stephanie!"

"Oops," Steph said again, who watching Matt and Rob with interest, Davina noticed, "Clumsy me."

"How many times! I. Do. Not. Like. Rachel." Grantley yelled, just as the room fell silent. All eyes were now not on him, but on the two figures standing behind him, looking blank.

"Ah," Grantly said, turning, and looking awkward, "Hello Ms Mason."

"Would someone like to tell us what is going on?" said Eddie, raising an eyebrow.

"Grumpy Claus would be glad to." said Steph, as Davina leant back into Tom's embrace, watching as Grantley glared at her angrily, and as Matt and Rob once again collapsed into helpless laughter, leaning on each other for support. To Davina, it looked like Rob was holding onto Matt's shoulder a little tighter than was necessary, but then again, both of them were only just remaining upright.

Davina almost laughed herself at Rachel's expression. She looked both blank, confused, and amused as she watched the exchanges between the staff. Or the laughter, depending on who she was watching.

Tom wrapped his arm tighter around her, and she relaxed into his warmth, feeling calm and relaxed, and at ease as she waited for Rachel's reaction to the know bright red Grantley's last remark. It was going to be interesting.


	11. A Little More bit of Laughter

**Chapter 11:**

The only reason they were still going on at him was because nothing else of interest had happened. That, and the fact that watching him get all flustered was hilarious. Even Rachel had found his burbling excuses and so called reasons amusing.

They were all sat in the pub, in the same area where they normally sat which was, to Rachel's displeasure, right next to the Karaoke machine. Rachel knew that she should go soon, but every time she tried to make her excuses and say goodbye, Steph would pull her back.

"So, Rachy -"

"Rachel."

"Fine, Rachel, would you go on a date with Grumpy Grantley here then?"

"For the last time Stephanie, I DO NOT LIKE RACHEL!" Grantley yelled, standing up. Then he caught himself, and turned quickly to face Rachel, who stood there with on eyebrow raised. "Er…not that way, I mean…you're very nice, and, um…" he flushed a deep red, causing giggles to come from several people in the room, most noticeably Matt, who was shaking with the effort of keeping it quiet.

"Prove it." Steph said, folding her arms, with a sly grin on her face.

Matt snorted into his drink. "And how exactly to you plan to do that?"

"Well, Rachel could…"

"I'm not doing anything!" Rachel said, standing up abruptly and downing the rest of her drink. She had finally managed to spot a cue for her exit, something she had been looking for for the last half hour. "I'm going home." She cast a glance around, wondering if this was going to be the last time that they would all be sat here, laughing together.

She looked at them all. Tom and Davina were sat beside each other, at a small table in the corner, with Rob and Jasmine, watching the teasing with a mixture of humour and wariness of their faces. They both knew that you could never be safe when Steph got on a roll, anyone of them could be dragged in. Eddie and Melissa were also sat at a table, but away from the rest of the group. They were laughing together, ignoring everything else, and seeming to be in a world with just the two of them. Her stomach twisted at the sight of them, and she looked away quickly.

"So soon?" Steph asked, drawing Rachel's attention back to the three people sat on the stools by the bar.

"Yes, got stuff to do for tomorrow."

"Actually, so do I!" Tom said, leaping to his feet with Davina only a second behind him. "Er…see you all tomorrow." And without waiting for an answer, they scurried out. Rob looked confused at their sudden departure, but Rachel had also caught the look on Steph's face.

"Aww, Rachel, you have got to see Grantley prove he loves you."

"Or that he doesn't love you," put in Matt, trying to keep a straight face, "Either way, it's gonna be funny." Steph hit him on the arm, and Rob laughed.

"You want me to prove I don't love her?" Grantley asked, sitting back down. "Fine, I will. You asked for it Stephanie."

He moved quickly, grabbing Steph and before she could even open her mouth to say the word "What!" his lips were on hers.

Rachel watched, inwardly cringing, until after a few seconds, Grantley release Steph, wiped his lips, and stood up.

"Now, proof. Goodbye all." And with that, he walked out, grabbing his coat off a hook by the door on his way. From where they all were, every one of them could see his ears, which had turned a bright red.

"Go, Tiger!" Rob yelled, making everyone laugh. Steph was still trying to catch her breath, as Rachel did up her coat.

"Well, thanks for that guys," Rachel said, "I am now emotionally and mentally scarred."

"Er…Steph…"Matt started to say, composing himself, but leant back as she whipped around to face him. "One word or your so called witty banter Matthew and I will personally see to it that you eat your own bollox for breakfast in the morning."

Rob winced, and Rachel smiled. "Ouch, Steph."

Matt was silent for a bit, but then burst out, "But Steph…wasn't that your ride which just walked out the door?"

Steph froze, hand raise to her head trying to pat her hair back into place. "Crap." Then she jumped up, grabbing her coat and running out of the door. "Just you wait, Matthew," she yelled over her shoulder, as the young man burst into uncontrollable laughter.


	12. Not Thinking Straight

**Chapter 12:**

Rachel shook her head with amusement. "I'll be going now. See you tomorrow."

"I might as well go too." Jasmine said. She looked at Rob, smiling gently, as Rachel left. "Do you want a ride home?"

Rob looked startled. "Erm…no, I'll stay for a bit."

"Ok, I'll stay with you." she sat down again. Rob caught Matt watching them both in the mirror over the bar, and cringed silently.

"No, it's ok…"

"I insist."

He cursed silently. He wanted to talk to Matt, not to her. He didn't want her there.

"No, look, I'm…I'm meeting someone."

She blinked, and he felt a great rush of regret at the lie he had just told when he saw the pain in her eyes.

"Oh. Ok then." She left without a backwards glance, but Rob didn't breath with relief until the door had closed with a soft thud behind her. There was silence for a bit, and Rob listened to the engine start up, and gradually get fainter.

"You know, you should just tell her."

He turned to face Matt, who was now watching him, piercing him with his brilliantly blue eyes. He cleared his throat. "Tell her what?"

Matt sighed, before reaching out and taking the two drinks the bartender had just brought him. He stood up from his stool, and walked towards where Rob was sitting. Rob felt his hear hammer loudly as Matt sat down and pushed one of the pints towards him. He played back in his head the conversation he had heard from Aleesha and Danielle earlier that day. Was what they had said true? He wasn't sure.

"You should just tell her that you don't feel for her."

Rob looked down as his drink. "Is it that obvious." His heart was hammering in his chest, as he replayed the conversation that had been stuck in his head all day.

"God, isn't he gorgeous!" Aleesha sighed as she stood at the far end of the netball court. Rob stood near to them, trying to ignore their words and concentrate on his teaching. And failing.

"Totally. I'd do him." Danielle agreed.

"Yeah, either him or Mr Wilding." Aleesha said. Rob turned slightly and saw Matt walking across the field in the distance, with Janeece, Chlo and Maxine.

Danielle turned to her, tutting. "Wilding's gay, if you hadn't forgotten."

Aleesha grinned at her, Rob saw out of the corner of his eye, as he managed to stop himself turning to face them. "I know, but if he wasn't…" she trailed off, and there was silence, before they both burst into a fit of giggles.

Rob turned back to the rest of his class, his heart thumping madly, and oddly seeming to be in his throat. Was it true?

"Rob? Rob? Earth to Rob, come in Rob?"

Rob shook his head violently, coming back to the present. Matt was looking at him curiously. "You alright, mate? You kinda spaced off there."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Sorry. Er…what were you saying?"

"That you should tell her."

Rob looked down at the table, taking a gulp from his pint. "Oh yeah."

"It's not fair on her, if you keep leading her on."

Rob looked up at him quickly. "I'm not leading her on!"

"Not intentionally, maybe, but you are."

There was silence, as Rob mulled over the blonde haired mans words. "But…but then I'd have to tell her why."

"Why what?"

"Why I don't like her. You know Jasmine, she will want to know why!"

"Well, why don't you?"

"I…um…I like someone else."

Matt sighed. "Just tell her that, then. It won't hurt her anymore than what you're doing at the moment."

There was more silence. Matt was watching him, Rob could feel his gaze. It was true, what Matt had said. He was hurting Jasmine. Unintentionally, maybe, but he was. It was fair on her. He had to stop this now. All of this.

He didn't know what made him do it. Maybe it was the alcohol rushing around in his bloodstream making him uncontrollable of his actions. Or maybe it was the sight of him, sat there, so close. He shouldn't of done it. He had spent so long building himself up, hiding himself that he should have thought about it. He didn't think though. He didn't know that because of his small action, in twelve hours he would be sat in a hospital room. How was he to know? After he wished he hadn't done it. He wished it with all his heart.

But he didn't think. He didn't think at all. He just did it. He leant across the table, and gently kissed Matt on the lips.


	13. Reaction

**Chapter 13:**

Panic. That was all he felt. He pushed him away as hard as he could. No. Not again. He backed away, falling over in his desperations to get out of his seat. Rob was still sat there, with a dazed expression on his face. He continued to back away.

Rob looked at him, feeling shocked at what he had done. Matt was backing away, looking at him with a strange expression on his beautiful face. A mixture of shock, confusion, and…fear.

"Matt…" he couldn't say any more. The blonde man turned and ran, pushing his way out of the pub door with such violence that the hinges crashed. The bartender looked on in confusion, as Rob swore and made to follow him. As he passed the bar, he slapped down a tenner for the drinks, and mumbled his thanks to the bartender. He didn't hear if there was a reply. He had to get to Matt.

He rushed out to the car park. Matt was still there, unlocking his car door. He had to reach him, had to explain.

"Matt!"

He looked at him, with the same expression on his face, before throwing himself into the drivers seat and slamming the door. He pulled away before Rob got there, and was speeding out of the gates within seconds.

Matt couldn't believe it. Couldn't believe what he had done. Rob was his friend, he shouldn't have kissed him. It had made him feel like he had done before. It had reminded him of that time, in the summer. That time he had tried so desperately hard to forget. That time when Colin…

His knuckles were white against the steering wheel. He shouldn't be driving, he had drunk to much, he knew that. He also knew he was overacting. It probably hadn't meant anything, just a drunken moment. A drunken moment, like when Colin had come back to their flat, pissed out of his head, with his mates. His so called mates.

He was biting his tongue now, to stop himself sobbing at the memory. He had never wanted to feel like that again, which was why he had steered clear of everyone. And now…now he felt like he had then. When they hurt him.

He screwed his eyes shut, trying to block out the images, the haunting memories which had been with him since last summer. He heard their jeers and taunts, as if they were there, now. As if he was going through that again. And then he heard something else.

The screeching of brakes, the yells of people on the street. He heard the screeching of metal and smelt the foul smell of burning rubber. He felt the wheel spin beneath his grasp, and opened his eyes in shock. He saw a whirl of colours, red, yellow, orange, more red. An awful lot of red. He heard more screams, from far away. He felt pain. Real pain.

And then…then there was nothing but darkness.


	14. Inspection Day

**Chapter 14:**

"So, why do we have to be in this early?"

Tom looked up from the coursework he was marking to see Jasmine sat opposite him, holding a mug of coffee under her chin.

"Apparantly Rachel needs to talk to us."

"Well, she could have at least shown up on time," said Steph, who had at that moment walked in. She made her way over the the kitchen area, looking around at them all, who were sat there watching her with disbelieving looks. "What?"

"Sorry Stephanie, we're just suprised to see you in early two mornings in a row." Grantley said, not sounding sorry at all. Steph leant back against the counter beside the kettle, and grinned at him.

"Didn't expect to see you in either, Grantley. Eager to see me were you?"

Davina and Tom exchanged bewildered glances as Grantley flushed a deep red, and Jasmine giggled.

"Why so red, Grantley?" Eddie had also walked in, and was looking at the embarressed english teacher with an eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Shut it."

Tom shook his head and rolled his eyes. He didn't want to know what had happened after he and Davina had left the pub last night. If Steph had been involved, it had most likely been cringeworthy. He packed away the pile of coursework he had been halfway through marking. Now nearly everyone was here, there would soon be not enough quiet to mark anything.

"Where's Rachel?" he heard Davina ask from the seat next to him.

Eddie leant against the wall, as Rob walked in behind him. "Taking a call in her office. She'll be here in a minute."

"You alright mate?" Tom addressed Rob, with concern in his voice. The other man looked awful, like he hadn't slept a wink all night. He just shrugged in response, before taking the mug of tea Jasmine offerred him. She smiled at him, but he didn't look at her, just moved away and stood in a corner. Tom saw Davina and Jasmine exchange a look between them, as they watched him move away.

"Sorry I'm late." Rachel said as she hurried in.

"Bout time." said Grantley, but he shut up when he saw the look she gave him.

"Everyone here?"

"Except Matt." Jasmine said, who seemed to be still watching Rob. Tom followed the direction she was looking and saw Rob give a violent, but barely noticeable, start and look around.

"Where is he?" Steph asked, also looking around as if the drama teacher would just pop out from behind one of the shelves.

Rachel shrugged. "Well, we can't wait. We'll just have to fill him in when he gets here."

She sat down on the arm of Davina's chair. "Ok, the basics: the inspectors are ariving at about half nine, but there is no set time. I don't know what they will want to see, but probably at least a lesson from each departement. Now, if..."

Her phone rang, interupting her. She sighed, and pulled it out of her pocket. "Matt." She said, before pressing the 'Reject Call' button and sliding it back into her pocket. "I'll call him back. Now...where was I?"

"You said; now, if."

"Thanks Jas. Now, if you get any trouble from anyone. Any students disobeying you, or not doing work, or showing the school up in any way, send them right to the cooler. If they don't show any sign of going, send one of the good kids to get either me or Eddie. Understood?"

They all nodded, as her phone began to ring again. "Oh, for god's sake." She flipped it open and pressed it to her ear. "Matt, I'll call you back." As soon as she said it, she flipped it shut again and shoved it back into her pocket before continueing.

"We need to give the best impression we can, but we have to make it look natural. A spot inspection like this is to look at what normal days are like." she looked towards Eddie, who, Tom noticed, was watching her with a strange expression on his face. She looked away from him quickly. "So, just do your best, ok?"

They all nodded again, just as Rachel's phone rang for the third time. She rolled her eyes, and Davina and Steph looked at each other as if trying not to laugh. It wasn't funny though. To Tom, it seemed that the atmosphere was a lot more serious than usual.

"Oh for...What Matt?" Rachel snapped, answering her phone, "I am kind of busy at the moment, as you would know if you were..." she trailed off, and her expression turned to confusion. "Sam? What -"

She didn't say anything else, but her face suddenly expressed pure horror as she listenned to what ever was being said. Eddie moved towards her, but she waved her hand at him and he stopped. The rest of the staff looked at each other, and Tom noticed that Rob had moved forward, out of his corner. He was watching Rachel intently, something which Jasmine also noticed. He opened his mouth as if about to say something, but Rachel interrupted him, still talking on the phone.

"Ok, Sam? Listen to me. I'm on my way, just sit tight, ok? Don't worry, it's going to be fine. I'm coming now." She hung up, and turned back to face her staff.

"Rachel," Eddie said, "What was that all about?"

She looked at him for a moment, and then seemed to come back to life. "Sam's at the hospital. She's freaking out, she wouldn't tell me why. I could barely get a straight sentance out of her, but she kept saying Matt's name. Something bad has happened."


	15. Tears

**Chapter 15:**

How long had she been sat there? She didn't know. Long though. Very long. And she still didn't know anything, she still couldn't see him. Instead she had to sit her, in this small room smelling of disinfectant, cleanliness, and…pain. It felt apart from the world, in here. The only person she had seen for hours was the kind nurse who had been in to see her more times that she could count. The last time she had bought his phone.

She clutched it in her hands now, so tightly her knuckles showed up white against her skin. She wanted to see him again, and then again…she didn't. The last time had been through a glass window. And there had been blood. Too much blood. She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see that. She thought back instead to the proper last time she had seen him.

_"Come on Sam, please?" He looked at her with large, puppy-dog eyes._

_"No."_

_"I'll be good."_

_"No, Matt. You're not going to the pub."_

_"Everyone else is going," he pouted, making his boyishly young face look like he was sulking. She threw a pillow at him._

_"Fine. Back by 10 though. And you'd better not be drunk"_

_He grinned at her. "Promise." _

She hated him going to the pub, it reminded her too much of when her mum had. And what had happened after. And her dad. If it hadn't been for a pub, he wouldn't have hurt them. She had known that something bad would happen. She couldn't have said how, she just knew.

_"Back by 10."_ She had got the phone call at half past. She had been waiting for him, trying to phone him. Then they had used his phone to call her.

"Sam?" it was the nice nurse again. "Would you like something to drink?"

She didn't respond. If she did, she might cry again. It felt like she had cried too much, but she still knew she would. She didn't want to cry, it made her feel weak. She didn't want to feel weak.

The nurse nodded, understandingly. "Ms Mason just rang. She's on her way."

No response again, but she heard it. Ms Mason was coming. That was quick. She had only just rang her. She had had to call someone, and she trusted her headmistress, but she had expected her to be a while in coming. Matt had told her about the inspection, and had asked for her help. But she couldn't think of that, it wasn't the time.

The door closed softly behind the nurse. Hopefully, next time she came she would have news. Good news. She didn't want any other. She couldn't take it if it was bad. She wouldn't be able to take it. She cared for him. Sure, at first, she hadn't liked living with him, and had wanted to go home as soon as possible. But soon they became friends. He was someone it was impossible not to like. He was like…an older brother, but not like her others. Not like Marley or Earl. Marley tried too hard to play dad, and although she understood why, it annoyed her. And Earl…she didn't like Earl. He was psychotic.

But Matt…he wasn't only like an older brother. He was like her best friend. He had saved her from her dad. He had been nice, and believed in her. Hell, he had even taught her the guitar.

"Sam?" she looked back to the door. Ms Mason stood there, concern etched onto her face. Miss Haydock stood behind her, leaning against the door. "Sam."

Her eyesight bleared at the sight of them, and before she knew it she was crying again. No words were said as the two teachers sat down. She felt a warm arm being wrapped around her, and she leant into it.

How long they sat like that, not talking, she didn't know. By the time the door opened again, her tears had dried up. They all looked up at the doctor who stood in the doorway, Ms Mason tightening her hold around her shoulders.

"How is he?" Miss Haydock asked.

The doctor looked at his feet, before looking around at them all. "He's…stable. You can see him now."


	16. Stage 1 of OperationSaveWaterlooRoad

**Chapter 16:**

_"He's not in."_

"What?"

"Why?"

"How the hell am I meant to know? The question is...do we carry on?"

"..."

"..."

"Course we do."

"Yeah, we planned for this."

"But, didn't he say that it would only be lying if he wasn't here? He isn't here, so it's a lie. We can't lie."

"..."

"Don't think about it as lying."

"Not lying?"

"No...think of it as altering their prespective."

Eddie stood, watching her approach. The inspector. God, that sounded sinister. The Inspector. She even looked sinister, he thought. Her grey hair was pulled back into a tight bun, exposing her wrinkled neck. Dark eyes seemed to scrutinise him from where he stood, and her face was pointed, angled back from her upturned nose. He half expected her ears to be pointed too. She was dressed in a plain grey skirt suit, with black tights and plain, high heeled shoes which made a clacking noise everytime she took a step.

"Good morning," he greeted her, forcing a smile onto his face with difficulty. Rachel would have been so much better than him at this, she was a natural at faking things. She had to be good at it - she had got away with it for almost a year. But no, he didn't want to think of that. He just wished Rachel was here, but she had gone to find Sam. With Steph. And she still hadn't rung.

The lady didn't smile at him, but he carried on. Good impressions and all. "Welcome to Waterloo Road, Mrs..."

"Griffiths. Ms Griffiths."

"Great." he grinned, fakely, allowing her to pas before rolling his eyes. Plastering a smile back onto his face, he turned to face her. "I'm Eddie Lawson, deputy head. I'm sorry, Ms Mason is unable to see you this morning, so I was sent in her place."

Not a word in response. Just a stare.

"This is Janeece and Paul." he guestured to the two students waiting just inside the main doors of the school. Looking supprisingly smart, in fact. He resisted the urge to raise his eyebrows at them. "They've volunterered to be your guides for today. They will take you from place to place and make sure you have everything you need. If you have any problems, just send them to find me or Ms Mason if she is available. Ok?"

Yet again, no response. She just tossed her head and clacked her way down the corridor, but not before thrusting her clipboard into Paul's hands.

"If you are going to be following me around all day, you might as well make yourself useful." her voice was harsh as she didn't even look at them.

Janeece and Paul shared a look before heading after her. To Eddie, still stood in the doorway, it looked as though Paul was casually flipping through the pages of crisp, clean paper he had just been handed.

_"God, what a hag."_

"I know, innit! Stupid woman."

"And her clothes...so boring."

"She did just give Paul the clipboard though. He didn't even have to ask for it."

"Like I said, bruv. Stupid woman."

"What did Lawson mean by Ms Mason not being here? Shouldn't she be here on the deciding day for the school?"

"I don't know, babe. Scans uploading now. He's quick."

"44 pages, memory of 4.6 gigabites."

"Bloody hell."

"..."

"..."

"So where they heading first."

"Area 7. First option on the list is Shows appropriate understanding for handling and managing challenging matters in a foreign and alien enviroment_."_

"..."

"..."

"Ok, I was with you up until 'shows'."

"I said, the first option on the list says Shows appropriate undestanding for handling and managing challenging matters in a foreign and alien enviroment_."_

"Nope, lost me again."

"Oh, for...it says she's gonna be checking Haydock's class first!"

"Yeah, she has just gone down that corridor...oh."

"Idiot."


	17. Stage 2 of OperationSaveWaterlooRoad

**Chapter 17:**

_"Well, that was suprising."_

"No Miss Haydock."

"No not that. The fact that in that French lesson..."

"...someone actually spoke french."

"Oh."

"I never knew Davina could speak French."

"Or that any other the others could either."

"The Hag didn't look too impressed though."

"..."

"..."

"So, where are they going now?"

"Grumpy Claus' class."

"Grumpy Claus!?!"

"Hmm? Oh, something Tom and Davina said yesterday."

"Right..."

"Not the best lesson, if I'm honest, but she has to check...what was it again?"

"The working and understanding of the graduates in situations offerring life and continetal nationality enterprises_."_

"..."

"I think I got that, but refresh my memory."

"They're gonna check our English, innit?"

"With Budgen?"

"..."

"..."

"This is so my turn, innit."

"Innit?"

"Ooh, watch da fingers, sacrasimo!!"

"Haha! Tough guy!"

"For christ's sake, shut up and watch the screen."

He didn't undersatnd what all the fuss was about, he wasn't going to pretend otherwise. It was just an inspection, wasn't it? He had gone through so many of them he didn't notice them now. Sure, to their credit, when he was young like the others, he had been as nervous as hell, but he'd been through them hadn't he? Maybe not with flying colours, but he had all the same.

He would just sit back and laugh as all the rest of the so-called staff would work themselves into a flap. He had far more inportant things to worry about. Miss Kerreshie in particular didn't appear to be looking forward to the day ahead, although that might be beacuse of the Cleaver lad, who hadn't said a word to anyone all day. Looked bloody awful too, he might add.

And Ms Mason. The wonderful, charming, witty Rachel Mason. He still didn't like her (no matter what Stephanie Haydock said). She wasn't even here now, was she? If she really cared about the school she would have been here to welcome the insector throught the doors. Instead, she was running around after one hysterical pupil who had most likely had a fallout with her foster career. Who still wasn't in either.

He snorted, leanign back in his chair and casting an experianced eye over his class of head-bent-over-desk Year Somethingorothers. They were all working, dare he say it, nice and quietly. No fuss, no bother. Just the sound of pens scratching on paper. He closed his eyes. It was calm, and no one would mind if he just relaxed for a little bit. He wouldn't fall asleep of course. He would stay...wide...awake...

"WAKEY WAKEY GRUMPY CLAUS!"

He jerked upright, falling backwards off his chair and landing with an undignified thump onto the carpetted floor. His class imediantly burst into uncontrollable laugher. He pulled himself to his feet, furious, looking towards his door, which was just swinging shut.

"Shut up, the lot of you!" he yelled at his class, who did quieten down, but who continued to giggle.

He was making his way to the door when he heard a sound coming down the corridor. The class imediently shut up, listening with interest and confusion.

Clack. Clack. Clack.

Just as he was about to open the door, the sounds stopped. Someone knocked on the frosted glass upper half of his classroom door. He opened it, revealing a short, grey haired woman. Behind her stood two pupils. One appeared to be carrying her bag, the other her clipboard. What were their names? Oh yeah...Paul and Janeece.

"Can I help you?" he said, making his voice as rude as possible. Paul and Janeece exchanged worried glances, as the woman thrust a badge i his face.

"Mrs Griffiths. School inspector."

Ah. Just as well someone had woken him up then.

_"That had been close."_

"How can he fall asleep in every single lesson he has?"

"Dunno."

"I dun my bit, just hope the others continue what they were doing."

"That was quick."

"Ran all the way, didn't I?"

"Enjoy that did you? Couldn't have done it a little bit quieter?"

"Less fun that way."

"You could have got caught."

"Guys, stop it."

"I was careful!"

"Yeah, like you ever would be."

"Alright, now..."

"You trying to say something, bruv?"

"I don't know, am I?"

"Just calm..."

"if you've got something to say, bring it on big man."

"Ooh, I'm so scared. Big boxer boys gonna get me, boo hoo."

"That's it, you're-"

"ONE MORE WORD FROM EITHER OF YOU AND I WILL KNOCK BOTH YOUR HEADS IN."

"..."

"Go sister."

"..."

"..."

"That's better."

"Wish I'd got that on video."

"Your faces! Do you think you could -"

"Shut it or I'll say the same to you!"

"..."

"..."


	18. Breaktime?

**Next bit! Am very, very sorry for the long delay, have simply forgotten to update it here *cringes*. Have more than one to put up now anyway :D Here you go:**

Break time. Normally a time for everyone to relax, to hang with their mates, and to have fun. And yet Rachel didn't feel the urge to do any of this as she navigated her car through the throngs of kids enjoying their few moments of freedom from the schoolday. She swore that whenever a teacher drove through they would make it as hard as possible for them to actually reach the school. In fact, it was a wonder she was driving at all. She had been going to walk, but as Steph had said, how would she get back quickly if anything happened.

She pulled up in the spot she had deserted not long ago. Everything looked ok so far, nothing had be blown up or torn down in her abscense, which had to be a good sign.

"Rachel!"

And yet, there was Eddie, waiting for her. Why did it have to be him? He chest...no, stomach hurt at the sight of him. To know he was so close and yet...so far. She smiled at him though as she approached, but frowned when he shuddered.

"You ok?"

He grinned, "Deja Vu. The inspector woman walked up here in the same way as you. Although I must admit that even you aren't as scary as...Miss Griffiths!" he trailed off, catching sight of a short, pointed woman heading towards them. "Everything ok?"

She ignored his question, and marched past them, followed by Paul and Janeece, who already looked worn out. "I'm having a look at the pupils in their natural habitat, not that you need to know. Ah, a very late good morning Ms Mason."

Rachel was caught unawares, still shocked by the woman's outright, well, _rudeness_. She started, before answering. "Oh...I've been busy. Inportant, unavoidable matters to deal with."

Eddie turned to her. "Oh yeah, how's - OW!!!"

Rachel smiled at the woman, who was looking at her critically. "Hiding something, Ms Mason?"

She shook her head, while Eddie was almost hopping beside her. "No."

"You appeared to have just trodden on Mr Lawson's foot."

"Did I? I'm sorry, Mr Lawson, it was an accident. But no, there is no problem."

"Hmmm..." she continued to look at her, before turning and marching away. Janeece let out a small groan, before both students hurried to catch up with her.

Once the inspector was out of earshot, Eddie turned to Rachel. "What the bloody hell was that for?"

Rachel didn't reply, just turned and began to walk inside, playing some of Eddie's words again in her head. _"Although, you aren't as scary as..."_. Did he really think she was scary?

"Rachel?" his voice was softer now, concerned. "How's Sam?"

"Sam's fine, but..." she closed her eyes, "look, I'll tell everyone in the staff room, ok? I need to get the words right, plus I don't think it will be a good idea if someone _unwelcome_ hears."

He nodded, but she could tell she was making him worried. She hated to see him worried. But, soon she knew that everyone of them would be.

**Comments? XP**


	19. Fight?

**See, told you I had more today :D Here you go:**

_"Ms Mason's back, look."_"So, are you gonna tell me what it is you're hiding?"

"Well, that's something then. Where's she heading?"

"Down the english corridor with Lawson."

"Corridor 6."

"Like I said, the english corridor."

"Looking up for us then, if she's back."

"Didn't think it was looking too bad in the first place."

"..."

"Where are the boys?"

"Hiding from M in Wilding's store room."

"Oh."

"Am I really that scary?"

"Do you really want an answer?"

"..."

"Is it our turn yet?"

"Go on then, as you asked so very nicely, and as you have been behaving as good as gold."

"..."

"That was sarcasm in my voice if you didn't get it."

"I got it, I ain't no Ms Ryan."

"Obviously. No one can be that bad. Shouldn't you both be going?"

"We're going, we're going."

Rachel rolled her eyes. That was the...ooh, fifth time he had asked her that in the last five minutes. "I've told you. I'm going to tell everyone at the same time." She voice almost broke on the last word, and she kept her eyes facing striaight ahead. He didn't notice. He'd been distracted by something (_someone_) else.

"Hiya babe!" Melissa literally bounced up to them, much to the amusement of students passing her. She reached up and pulled Eddie down to her, kissing him softly on the cheek. It made Rachel want to hurl.

"Do you know what's going on?"

Eddie looked at her as he slung an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "What do you mean?"

"That." she pointed down the corridor. Now Rachel thought about it, she could here shouting from down that end. Loud shouting. Shouting that you heard all to often in a secondary school.

"Oh crap." she swore, and began to push herself through the thickening throng of students, all of whom appeared to be coming out of every single door she passed. She was only stopped by one of them standing directly in front of her.

"You alright miss?" Bolton said, looking at her in a slightly concerned way. She was touched by his feelings, but couldn't consider them now. Not when the shouting and yelling was getting even louder. Even Eddie heard it now, and was trying to push through at her side, Melissa keeping close behind him.

"I'm fine. Um...would you excuse me?" she pushed him out of the way and carried on through, finally making it into the centre of a ring of students all of whom were cheering and clapping, but not in a good way.

"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!"

It sort of reminded Rachel of the madness she had found when she and Rob had uncovered Bolon's illegal fight, only it wasn't two boxers fighting it our perfeshionally (well, sort of) in the ring. Instead, it was two girls in Year 10, scrapping it out, rolling on the floor and pulling each others hair.

"Stop it! Stop it now!"

The students immediently shut up, and silence spread from the front to the back like a wave. She was amazed they did that for her. It was not the usual reaction. She rushed foreward, Eddie at her side again, and pulled apart the two girls struggling on the floor.

"Aleesha! Danielle! What the hell is the matter with both of you?"

Other members of staff were reaching them now. It seemed that the whole school was here, gather around this crossroads of the corridors.

"Alright, enough! Get to your classes now!" Eddie roared. Aleesha and Danielle were still fighting to reach each other, and it was all Eddie and Rachel could do to keep the apart. The corwd slowly dispersed, most of them unwillingly, but being sheparreded along by Tom and Jasmine, both of whom had caught Rachel's meanigful glance. Soon it was empty again, apart from the two girls, the staff and...

Clack. Clack. Clack.

Rachel groaned. It would just be their luck that the only fight to have taken place in days would have to have been today. While she was here.

"Right, the pair of you, cooler now. Mr Clarkson, could you escort them?"

He nodded, a cold fury in his eyes. Rachel and Eddie exchanged looks, before releasing their hold on the girls. They seemed more subdued now, only glaring at one another, before turning and marching in the direction of the cooler, followed by Tom. Ms Griffiths nodded, and made a note on her clipboard, before clattering off again back the way she had come. That suprised Rachel, she had expected her to say something.

She sighed, turning back to the matter at hand. "Just what we needed. Today, with the inspection and Matt and..."

"Matt?"

She jumped. Crap. She hadn't meant to say that out loud. She looked around to see who had addressed her to find Rob standing, watching her with a strange expression on his face. All the other teachers were looking at her as well. Jasmine cokced her head to the side. "Have you heard from him then?"

She took a deep breath, knowing that Eddie was watching her carefully. She had to tell them now.

"Sort of. He...he was in an accident last night. A car accident."

Jasmine gave an unsure smile. "Well, he's going to be ok, isn't he?"

Rachel didn't reply. She didn't know how to. Jasmine's smile died on her lips, and Davina moved foreward, a range of emotions displayed upon her face. Shock. Confusion. Fear. "Isn't he?"

"They don't know." she couldn't say any more. They looked at one another, and she turned, wanting to get away. Only to the cooler. To deal with the girls.

Confusion filled her as she walked away from the rest of them. Why had they done it? Aleesha and Danielle were best friends, the closest of best friends, besides maybe Janeece, Chlo and Maxine. What was their reason?

**Comments? XP**


	20. Not the Dark

**Ok, this chapter may seem a little out of sync, but I am proud of it. Let me know what you think :D**

_Where was he? It was dark, too dark. And cold. It shouldn't be cold. What had happened? He remembered...he remembered running. Fear. Then a crash. The world turning upside down then squeezing tight around him. Too tight. A sudden sharp pain. Then...nothing. No light, no air, no urge to breathe. Just pain._

Why was there pain? He didn't know. He didn't understand. He could hear voices, screams, yells. Why were there those noises? Something was bad, but what? They were so loud. So close...yet, so far. He was so cold. So cold. So dark.

_Another sound. Something being moved. More voices, close now. Very close._

"I've found him! He's over here! I'm not sure whether he's..."

_Why were they saying that? He knew where he was. He was...he was...he was here. And suddenly, pain. Flaring pain, errupting from his...chest. Yes, his chest. More sounds. More pain. Something pressed into his neck. A sharp intake of breath._

"Dear Lord. He's still alive!"

_Of course he was. Silly thing to say, he was here wasn't he? And yet...and yet, it was so cold. So dark._

More sounds, loud, all blurring into one another. He felt himself being lifted. Why? Where was he? He couldn't see. Too dark. He couldn't remember. Couldn't move. Only sounds. And suddenly images, memories. Pub...others...Rob...Colin...

"He's arrested!"

_Darkness. Cold. Coming closer._

"Matt!"

_A new sound. A voice. Yelling louder and clearer than any other. Yelling the same thing over and over again. _

"Matt!"

_He knew that voice. He knew it. A reason to fight, to hold on..._

"Matt!"

_...Sam! Calling for him. Sam's voice. _

"Can someone get her out of here please!"

_No! He needed that voice. It was something to hold on to, to stop him from falling. It was Sam! And she...she was scared. Why was she scared, she shouldn't be scared. Confusion, fear. He had to help her, she needed his help. He had to hold on. He remembered her...and then he remembered him..._

"Call theater, we don't have a choice. We have to opperate now."

_Fear. Confusion. Cold. Pain. Lots of Pain, burning him, scorching him. Sounds merging together, voices a blur. Flying. He was flying...no. Moving, just moving. He heard her call again. Call for him. He tried to respond, but couldn't. The dark was coming, faster than before. He was falling, slipping. He fought. Fought the dark, and the pain, and the cold._

His chest hurt. Specific pain, not like the rest. It felt heavy. It shouldn't feel heavy. Why did it feel heavy? He wanted to see, wanted to know. But he couldn't.

"We have to use it. It's the only thing..."

"But it's not been tested! It could be dangerous!"

"It's his only chance."

_Yes, use it. Use anything, he didn't care. Just not the dark. Dear God, please, not the dark. Not the dark..._


	21. Time

**Chapter 21:**

It was silent in the staff room. Only three teachers were there, all sat around the centre table. Everyone else was either teaching, sorting out pupils or...absent.

Rob sat, hunched forward in his seat, his finers absentmindedly tapping the side of his mug. He kept replaying Rachel's words in his head. The ones about Matt.

He felt rather than saw Jasmine sit down beside him. He knew it was her. She had been folowing him like a shadow all day, not leaving him alone at all. He wanted to be alone, wanted time to curl up, time to nurse the pain he felt inside him, the pain which had increased now he knew.

_"Matt's been in an accident. A car accident."_

"He'll be alright though, won't he?"

"I don't know."

A car accident. Last night. It was all his fault. All his fault. He bit his lip in an effort to keep a sob contained, and began to slowly rock back and forth. He knew the other two were watching him, knew it. But what was the point in hiding it any more? If he died...there would be no point.

"Rob?" Ah Jasmine. The sweet, caring voice of Jasmine. Why couldn't she see it? See that he didn't love her. He was breaking down now, after the news, wasn't that enough? Apparantly not.

It was his fault, all his fault. If he hadn't...his eyes squeezed shut, not wanting to get lost in the sudden flow of images that filled his mind. _Matt handing him over a drink...Matt sat so close...Matt's lips on his...Matt running, falling, driving..._

It was his fault. He let Matt drive away, even though he knew he was in no fit state to drive. No, scratch that, he had made Matt run away. If he had just kept his feelings to himself, the way he had trained himself to do, Matt wouldn't have left so fast in the first place. If he hadn't kissed him, he would still be here now.

He thought of him now, lying in a hospital bed somewhere. Was he dying? Was he bruised, bloodied, broken, or what? He had to know. Had to explain while there was still a chance.

He stood up quickly, making the other two jump. He set down his mug, and without a word to either of them, he made his way to the door.

"Rob."

He shouldn't have turned at her voice, he should have just carried on. But why? He didn't see the point of hiding any more, didn't see the point of pretending. He heard the door open behind him, heard the sounds of two more people entering the room. Heels and flats, treading the worn out carpet. Melissa and Eddie. The perfect couple. He felt insane jealousy whenever he saw them, so strong he felt sick to the stomach. He wanted that. Wanted to be free to love the person he loved, and to have them love him back.

"Rob." she said his name again, moving close to him. Light coming through the windows reflected off her dark hair, throughing gistenning lights onto the walls. Her gaze was questionning, and full of something deeper. Love. Her eyes were alwasy full of love when she looked at him. Was that how he looked at Matt? "Where are you going?"

"I can't do this," his voice came out feeble, the broken voice of a man who had seen so much pain. And no wonder. For he was now broken inside. He couldn't live without him, the one he had admired, had loved from a distance. Only now the other knew how he felt, he realised that he might have to.

She tilted her head to one side, looking almost motherly. "Can't do what?"

"Can't be here. I've got to go."

The others were watching the exchange, he knew it, but he didn't care. The giggling of Melisssa had stopped, no sound came from anyone, except Jasmine. They could know everything, he didn't care. The only thing he cared about was lying in a hospital bed somehwhere, and he was here with people who didn't even know the real him, knowing that every second he was here more precious life would flow away. He had to tell him before it was too late.

"No, stay, please. Stay for me."

He laughed, a maniac laugh full of pain and hardship. "Stay for you? Why would I do that, Jasmine? Tell me why?"

She looked hurt, full of hurt. "I thought we...I thought we were..."

He laughed again, rage and anger and pain taking over his words. "Well, guess what Jasmine, you were wrong! I don't love you! I have never loved you, and I never will!" he was almost shouting now, but as he saw the tears in her eyes he felt horrible. He lowered his head, calming down. She was trying so hard not to cry. He sighed. "It's not that I don't like you Jasmine. I do, I really do. But...only as a friend, nothing more. Can't you see that?"

She shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks. "No. I thought...with time..."

Time. Something he was running out of. He rolled his eyes, glancing at the clock mounted on the far wall. "No, Jasmine. Not with time. For god's sake, I love someone else! Now please, just leave me alone!" There. He had said it. His voice had been begging, pleading. He waited for her to realise, to say something.

But she said nothing, and he turned to go. Only to find Eddie in his path, staring him down with a mixture of expressions on his face. Eddie was always so protective of Jasmine, and now Rob had made her cry. He braced himself for the outburst, not caring.

"Where are you going?"

"Away, I can't stay. I have to..." he was almost crying now as well. He had to go. They didn't need him here. The school was doomed no matter what, his prescense wouldn't make any difference.

"I can't let you do that. You have to stay here." his voice was calm, but the mere words made the anger bubble inside Rob again. Eddie thought he could help. Thought that strong, good old Rob would be enough to fight the closure when he knew he couldn't. He didn't care enough any more.

"Fine! Then I quit! Tell Rachel she'll find my letter of resination on her desk in the morning, if she's still in a job! Now get out of my way!" he pushed past, and made it out of the door. Then he ran.

He had no thoughts to the events which had just happened. He was going, either way. He ran through the school, skidding around corners, finding the quickest way out of there. He flew past Matt's room, caught sight of the figures in there, and the pain in his chest grew.

He made it to the car. _Car accident_. He didn't want to drive, but it was the quickest way. He had to be there, had to be with him. He had to explain. But time was running out, he knew that. He couldn't bear it did, so soon. He was crying now as he sped out of the school gates. It was his fault, all his fault. His heart was broken now, it broke last night. And then again this morning when he heard the news. But maybe there was still time. Time to fix it, to fix everything. There had to still be time. Had to be**.**

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**AN: Thanks to all my reviewers! Hope you liked this bit :D Please comment, they mean so much to me :D**


	22. Realisation

Sorry for the long wait for an update! Didn't get round to posting this on here, sorry! But here you go now :D

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_"Where the hell are all the teachers going?"_

"Was just about to ask the same question."

"First Wilding, then Haydock, then Ms Mason, and now Mr Cleaver. Where the hell are they going?"

"Ms Mason came back though, bruv."

"Yeah, but none of the others have. And don't call me bruv."

"You know your voice went really soft when you said Cleaver's name."

"Can you blame me?"

"He'd better come back soon. We got training later, innit!"

"Sure he will. Right, your turn now, babe."

"Now?"

"Yep - Hag at ten o clock!"

"..."

"It's quarter past eleven."

"I know that, it's just a phrase! Go on babe, whip her ass!"

Davina walked through the corridors, thinking over the scene she had just witnessed in the staffroom. Poor Jasmine. She had run out not long after Rob had, crying her eyes out. Davina had to find her - she had a class to teach, but just having too doesn't make the job any easier.

She should have know really. Rob had given off enough signals that he wasn't interested in Jasmine. The tense muscles, the avoiding, the never-being-free-on-a-night-she-asked-him-out thing. Jasmine had known, but hadn't wanted to believe it.

She turned down the music corridor, freezing for a moment outside Matt's room. Poor Matt as well. She hoped it would be ok. It was all going badly today. First Matt, then Rob and Jasmine, plus the whole inspection thing...

Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack.

She groaned. How the hell did the stupid woman know just the bad moments to turn up? She turned, her blonde hair whipping around her with the motion. She plastered a smile onto her face, and tilted her head to the side as the other woman approached. "Hello."

The other woman raised her head, trying to make herself taller it seemed to Davina. She was ridicullously short, smaller than Rachel by a long way. She caught sight of Paul and Janeece behind her, both looking exhausted. How fast did the woman walk?

"Good morning." Well that was a start. It didn't exactly sound friendly, but was better than just a look. "Interesting events in the staff room, weren't there?"

Davina was nonplussed. How on earth did this woman know about that? A smile crept across the face of the grey haired one, and she held out a hand to Paul. He handed her a clipboard, much to Davina's dissopointment. This was so unfair. She'd already been inspected!

Ms Griffiths opened her plastic looking lips, and was about to say something, when she stopped, catching sight of something behind her. Davina turned, to see Chlo walking towards them. "Morning, miss!"

Davina looked sideways to the inspector, who had her pen poised over the paper, looking as though she was expecting something. She cast her mind around, trying to figure it out. Oh yeah. Lessons.

"Why aren't you in your lesson, Chlo?"

The girl looked at her, stopping at the noticeboard near them. "Just sorting something out for Mr Wilding, miss."

Davina nodded, trying to figure out what she was meant to say next. It was really distracting standing next to this woman. She was already scribbling on her clipboard, writing something Davina was unable to make out clearly. What had she done wrong?

"Ok. What?"

"The audition list for the musical, miss. Sir asked me to do it yesterday. I'm helping to sort it all out, miss."

"Right, ok." Davina nodded, hiding the fact she was confused. Chlo smiled at her, before sticking a sheet of paper onto the board next to them, and then walking back the way she had come.

She heard the clacking of heels fading away. Thank god she had gone. That had been...confusing. She hadn't known that Matt was organising another musical. Even if he was, would he be able to finish it?

The thought reminded her of what she was meant to be doing. Finding Jasmine. She continued on her way, passing the glass window of Matt's room. Matt's darkened room, which should have been empty. But wasn't.

_"Do you think she saw us?"_

"If she did, she didn't say anything to the hag."

"Do you think she saw through it?"

"Course she did. Davina isn't an idiot. We just have to hope she doesn't mention it to any of the others."

"And if she does?"

"We hope they wait until the hags gone before they yell at us."

"Great. We're screwed."

"Don't you have any faith in the timing of our teachers?

"..."

"..."

"No, forget I said that. We're screwed."

* * *

She looked at herself in the mirror. No wonder he didn't want her. She was disgusting. Her eyes were puffy and swolen, nothing at all like how women in movies looked when they had been crying. Tears had left tracks down her skin, and her hair...God. Her hair looked like it had been tangled in a net.

Jasmine clutched at the sink for support, bending her head so she didn't have to look at herself. _Hideous_. That was what she was. And stupid. How the hell had she missed it? All the signs had been there, obvious to everyone else it seemed. She had known something, but like the fool she was had ignored it. _He'll come to me in time_, she had thought. But he hadn't, and now she looked...she looked like an idiot.

She had loved him. She still loved him, loved him with all of her heart. His words had cut her open in so many places. She felt the pain, and raised her hand to her chest as if expecting to find a hole where her heart should be. That's what it felt like. He had carelessly ripped out her heart and thrown in away.

_"I don't love you! I have never loved you, and I never will!"_

The truth at last. The reason behind all of the avoiding, all of the letdowns. He didn't love her. No, worse. He loved someone else. Who? Davina? Rachel? _Steph?_

"Jasmine?" the door opened behind her, and she looked up again, into the mirror. Davina stood behind her, blonde hair curling down her back, make up perfect. It was her, wasn't it? She was the one who had taken him from her. She began to shake, knuckles white against her skin as her hold on the stone baison tightened.

"Jasmine?" a hand reached out to touch her shoulder, but Jasmine shrank away. "Get away from me."

Davina's face crinkled in confusion. Jasmine felt an insane jeolousy, even with a bad emotion across her features, her face was still perfect. No wonder Rob wanted her. Her perfect, beautiful, social queen of a best friend. She stared at her sharply, her eyes full of venom.

"Jasmine?"

She'd had enough, and whipped around to face her so called friend. She watched as the other woman shrank back, reeling at her expression. Was she that hideous now? Even her own friends couldn't look at her. "How could you?" she hissed in a voice full of poison. She was angry, so angry.

"How could I do what?"

"It's you."

Davina still looked confused. "Of course it's me. Jasmine, you're making no sense!"

"You stole him from me. You're the one he loves!"

Davina looked at her with a blank expression, before breaking into laughter. "Don't be silly!"

More anger. Calling her silly as well as stealing her soulmate. She opened her mouth to yell at her, to scream at her, but she said something first.

"He doesn't love me. Tom would kill him if he did. I don't love him either, for the same reason!"

She blinked. Oh yeah. Davina was with Tom. Davina loved Tom. Tom loved Davina. Rob wasn't stupid enough to love the person Tom loved. Rob wasn't stupid at all. Tears blurred her vision, and suddenly warm arms were around her, hugging her.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Davina said, her voice soft. She then moved away and held Jasmine at arms lengh.

"If it's not you, then who..." Jasmine began, wiping her tears. She had to know. She saw Davina shake her head, and looked down. She had to know.

Then her head shot back up again as she thought of something. Something which made her feel full of both shock and confusion. _Rob had only acted starting acting like that this morning...when we first heard about..._

"Jasmine?" Davina was talking to her again, but she ignored her. She was thinking.

_And then just now, just after we heard the truth from Rachel. No wonder he was acting like that, if it was true..._

"Jasmine!" Davina called again, and Jasmine jerked, coming back to reality. Davina was watching her with a puzzled expression. "What is it?"

"Matt."

"What?" now she looked even more confused. "Jasmine, Matt's..."

"Rob loves Matt."

Davina began to shake her head, but then stopped. She was also thinking about the events today adn yesterday, Jasmine could tell. Rob had stayed at the pub when she asked him if he wanted a ride. With Matt. Because of Matt.

She looked up into Davina's eyes. Her vision was blurring again. How could she have been so...so...stupid! So stupid!

"Rob doesn't love me, he'd never love me. He's gay, for god's sake! He loves Matt."

Then she let it go, and just cried, washing away all the remmants of her heart she had left.

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